High Wind and Heavy Rain in Montana, June 14 to 15, 2022

Name: High Wind and Heavy Rain in Montana, June 14 to 15, 2022
Start: 2022-06-14T21:00
End: 2022-06-15T12:25
Location: Montana

June 14 to 15, 2022 · NWS TFX · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

As a summer storm shifted eastward, wrap around strong mid level flow was mixed down to the surface over the eastern plains, producing another area of strong winds. Additionally, Heavy rain fell over the Bearspaw Mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 14, 7:15 PM MST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 14, 7:15 PM MST, 1 hour 45 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
815 PM MDT Tue Jun 14 2022

.SYNOPSIS...

A strong storm will continue to impact the Northern Rockies over
the next 24 hours, bringing mountain snow and strong winds to most
plains locations. Snow is expected to be heavy at times across
the Northern Rocky Mountain Front and the Little Belt Mountains,
where snow totals of a foot or more can be expected. Much Drier
and warmer conditions are expected for the remainder of the work
week.

&&

.UPDATE...

The only change made for this evening's update was to end the flood
watch on the Missouri River at Toston as the latest from the
Missouri River Basin Forecast Center indicates it's cresting. All
other highlights were just freshened up with the latest time/data.
As far as the forecast is concerned, scattered showers continue to
move across Central and North-central Montana. Latest report from
a spotter indicated a half inch of precipitation in the last 3
hours 6 miles east of Havre. Locally at the office, persistent
showers, but minimal accumulation. Wind gusts have decreased over
the last few hours, but didn't have the confidence to remove the
wind highlights as mixing could still occur later tonight. All in
all, no further amendments needed to the grids as the current
forecast is describing the situation well. - Pierce

&&

.AVIATION...
525 PM MDT Tue Jun 14 2022 (15/00Z TAF period)

Primary concern going into this TAF period remains to be the
persistent gusty winds. Gusty westerly winds exceeding 40 knots are
expected through the remainder of the evening and are expected to
remain strong into the overnight hours. Brief periods of showers are
the secondary concern, which may reduce visibility at times into
MVFR conditions. These showers, moving southwest to northeast, are
expected to diminish late into the afternoon hours on Wednesday.
Winds, however, will redevelop Wednesday morning, with the strongest
gusts along the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains, across the
Hi-Line, and eastern portions of Central Montana. - Pierce

Refer to weather.gov/zlc for more detailed regional aviation
weather and hazard information.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
/ISSUED 525 PM MDT Tue Jun 14 2022/

Remainder of this afternoon through Wednesday...An anomalously
strong storm continues to impact the Northern Rockies, bringing
with it hazards/impacts that are more expected in April or early
May rather than the middle of June. Height and temperatures aloft
continue to run 1 to 3 standard deviations below normal; which is
allowing for snow levels to fall as low as 5000ft along the
Northern Rocky Mountain Front and North- central MT. The heavier
accumulating snows have generally been reserved for elevations
above 6000 ft and additional snowfall amounts up to a foot can be
for the higher terrain in these respective areas. No amendments
were made to the current winter weather products as they handle
the expected impacts well.

H850 to H700 flow has also been impressive, leading to the
occurrence of strong surface winds, particularly over the plains
and Rocky Mountain Front. Anomalies at these levels will be
running 2 to 4 standard deviations above normal, with return
intervals of 10 to 30 years. The strong winds are expected to
diminish some tonight, but will remain strong overnight along the
Rocky Mountain Front. Surface winds will then shift northwesterly
on Wednesday, with the strongest magnitudes shifting to the
eastern portions of North-central Montana. After adding Chouteau
County to today's set of High Wind Warnings, no further changes
were made to the remaining wind products. -RCG/Moldan

Thursday through next Tuesday...brief transient ridging moving
over the Northern Rockies to end the work week will bring drier
and well above normal temperatures to Southwest through North
Central Montana. Another strong storm is then expected to move
into the Pacific Northwest by the weekend, bringing back
precipitation chances to much of the Northern Rockies through the
weekend and early next week. - Moldan

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  43  69  41  82 /  70  20   0   0
CTB  40  63  37  73 /  90  20   0   0
HLN  43  71  43  84 /  40  10   0   0
BZN  40  70  39  83 /  40  10   0   0
WYS  27  58  28  75 /  20  10   0   0
DLN  36  68  39  79 /  10   0   0   0
HVR  44  67  43  78 / 100  90   0   0
LWT  40  65  40  79 /  50  50   0   0

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
High Wind Warning from 6 AM to 9 PM MDT Wednesday Blaine...
Chouteau...Fergus...Hill...Liberty.

High Wind Warning until midnight MDT tonight Broadwater...
Cascade...Chouteau...Eastern Teton...Fergus...Judith Basin...
Meagher.

Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Wednesday Broadwater...
Cascade...Judith Basin...Meagher.

High Wind Warning until 6 AM MDT Wednesday Central and Southern
Lewis and Clark...Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Northern
Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front...Toole.

Flood Watch through Wednesday morning Northern Rocky Mountain
Front.

Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM MDT Wednesday Southern Rocky
Mountain Front.

Winter Storm Warning until 6 AM MDT Wednesday Northern Rocky
Mountain Front.

Flood Highlights are in effect until further notice.

&&

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 14, 6:53 PM MST, 2 hours 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
753 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     SNOW             18 W WHITE SULPHUR SPRI 46.56N 111.29W
06/14/2022  E5.0 INCH        MEAGHER            MT   MESONET

            ESTIMATED 5 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST
            24 HOURS AT BOULDER MOUNTAIN SNOTEL.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Jun 14, 6:54 PM MST, 2 hours 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
754 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     SNOW             11 S WEST YELLOWSTONE   44.51N 111.13W
06/14/2022  E3.0 INCH        GALLATIN           MT   MESONET

            ESTIMATED 3 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE PAST
            24 HOURS AT BLACK BEAR SNOTEL.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Jun 14, 6:56 PM MST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
756 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0702 PM     HEAVY RAIN       6 ENE HAVRE             48.56N 109.54W
06/14/2022  M0.50 INCH       HILL               MT   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED 0.50 INCH PRECIPITATION OVER LAST 3
            HOURS AND CONTINUES TO RAIN.

&&

PIERCE

Local storm report, Jun 14, 6:59 PM MST, 2 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
759 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 N CHOTEAU             47.90N 112.16W
06/14/2022  M57 MPH          TETON              MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION TRFM TETON RIVER - AGRIMET.

0541 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 13 S MARYSVILLE         46.56N 112.31W
06/14/2022  M60 MPH          LEWIS AND CLARK    MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION MTMDP MACDONALD PASS (MT
            DOT).

0603 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NW WINDHAM            47.10N 110.17W
06/14/2022  M60 MPH          JUDITH BASIN       MT   AWOS

            AWOS STATION K1CM CHARLIE.

0615 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 N LEDGER              48.34N 111.82W
06/14/2022  M60 MPH          PONDERA            MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION MTM73 LEDGER N MDA.

0630 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NW COFFEE CREEK       47.39N 110.13W
06/14/2022  M60 MPH          FERGUS             MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION MTM15 3.6 NW COFFEE CREEK
            (MT-MESO).

0652 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 ESE HILGER            47.22N 109.22W
06/14/2022  M59 MPH          FERGUS             MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION JPKM8 JUDITH PEAK RAWS.

&&

Local storm report, Jun 14, 7:47 PM MST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
847 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0829 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 11 WNW AUGUSTA          47.55N 112.61W
06/14/2022  M69 MPH          LEWIS AND CLARK    MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION TR276 L-C PORTABLE NO. 1.

&&

BRUSDA

Local storm report, Jun 14, 7:49 PM MST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
849 PM MDT TUE JUN 14 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST JOPLIN                  48.56N 110.76W
06/14/2022  M58 MPH          LIBERTY            MT   MESONET

            MESONET STATION GW0416 JOPLIN.

&&

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind, 3 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Chouteau

When: June 14, 9:00 PM MST to June 15, 6:15 AM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 9.66 mi NE of Eagleton
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 48.090, -109.640

Coop reporter reports 3.18 inches of rain. Time start estimated by radar.

Heavy Rain, Hill

When: June 14, 9:00 PM MST to June 15, 9:45 AM MST
Where: Hill County, 5.4 mi SE of Rocky Boy
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.180, -109.690

Spotter reported 3.5 inches rain accumulation.

Heavy Rain, Chouteau

When: June 14, 9:00 PM MST to June 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Chouteau County, 9.66 mi NE of Eagleton
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 48.090, -109.640

Coop observer updates report to 5.06 inches rain accumulation.

High Wind, Liberty

When: June 15, 6:47 AM MST to 10:28 AM MST
Where: Liberty forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Multiple sensors measured wind gusts in excess of 58 mph, including mesonet station FW9939 Chester which measured a 62 mph gust.

High Wind, Blaine

When: June 15, 7:18 AM MST to 11:30 AM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Multiple sensors across Blaine county measured gusts equal to or greater than 58 mph, including mesonet station FBLM8 Fort Benton RAWS, which measured a gust of 68 mph.

High Wind, Hill

When: June 15, 8:50 AM MST to 11:45 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

ASOS station KHVR Havre Airport measured a gust of 63 mph. Additionally, a mesonet station nearby (mtm06 6.4 SW Havre) measured a 58 mph wind gust.

High Wind, Fergus

When: June 15, 9:38 AM MST to 12:25 PM MST
Where: Fergus forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS

ASOS station KLWT Lewistown Airport measured a gust of 59 mph. Additionally, an AWOS in the county (N Bar Ranch) measured a 58 mph wind gust.

High Wind, Judith Basin

When: June 15, 10:45 AM MST
Where: Judith Basin forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

Mesonet station MTM47 MDA - Benchland measured a lone gust of 58 mph.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, June 2022

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1039207, 1039209, 1039210, 1023961, 1023956, 1023959, 1023958, 1023960.